Give Me Love, Like Her
by magically-muddled
Summary: "He was unpredictable, he was fluid, he was so alive. He was constantly changing. He was magnetic. He could be searing with his glower and then dimpling a boyish smile in an instant. It was said the Amoriini could not be loved. Yet, looking back, Caroline realized that Nik had taken her heart from the moment they met. And he never gave it back" S3 CanonxMythology [HIATUS]
1. Prologue

**Note:** Thanks very much for reading this! The first thing I have to point out - pretty much everything in this story I made up. I have very limited knowledge of mythology, so I used a bit of Wikipedia but mostly my imagination. I was inspired for the most part by Ed Sheeran's beautiful video for "Give Me Love". The story actually takes place in present day Mystic Falls, but I as I was writing, I thought it would make more sense if we saw a bit of their history. So this is just an introduction (Yep, nearly 4000 words for an introduction? I know. I'm sorry)

Just a word of warning - everyone isn't 'in character'. These are the events which cause them to be the characters in the present. In other words, they will have sass in Mystic Falls! Review, if you want to, but I'd love a bit of feedback :)

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From a very young age Caroline had understood her destiny, what she was to become. Her mother, Elizabeth, would comb through her thick golden curls and whisper of the future. The great things Caroline would do, what she would achieve. For that little girl carried the light of the world with her. Love was a gift, and Caroline was its bearer.

Elizabeth had prayed to the Gods for years for a miracle. Her husband had died in an especially cruel winter, and she was left destitute. It was not money she longed for, but rather a child. Sjofn, the Goddess of Love, took pity on the woman and entrusted her with a baby girl, who would one day grow to be an Amoriini.

Amoriini's were Sjofn's representatives on earth, the chosen seven servants, who would do her bidding. The Goddess would know the couples to pair, and the Amoriini's would act upon her orders. They would bring love to the planet, but were doomed to walk alone. Caroline was taught from a very early age that she would pair countless numbers of humans, but she would never be entrusted with another's heart. Love was not a privilege an Amoriini could have.

On her sixteenth birthday, the Goddess herself visited Caroline and entrusted her with a bow and a quiver of arrows. It was a small bow, curved, and ideally suited for a woman. It did not look significant, save for the the intricate C carving in the middle of the handle. The arrows, however, were far more unique. They were formed from the teardrops of Freya herself, and each tip contained a dose of the love elixir that Sjofn brewed. Messages would be delivered to Caroline, who would act upon them and unite the intended pairs. None but Elizabeth knew of Caroline's connection, and no one ever could. Caroline's was not a Goddess, yet she was not a mortal. She was destined to straddle the worlds forever, the power to unite and destroy at her fingertips.

Sjofn had instructed Elizabeth to take Caroline north and settle in the village there. That section of the land had been ravaged by the wolves of the night, and men were few. The people had long prayed for the mercy of the Gods, and Sjofn thought it prudent to intervene. This intervention came in the form of her prodigy, her Amoriini.

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It was those very first instructions that changed Caroline's life forever. She would feel the shockwaves of that tiny village for the next thousand years, try as she might to forget.

Almost as soon as they settled, Caroline had decided she was going to be the best friend she could be to Rebekah Mikaelson. As an Amoriini, she was attuned to others emotions. She could literally feel every hint of rage, happiness, anger and joy. She could feel Rebekah's loneliness, and so desperately wanted to change it.

Rebekah and Caroline were soon inseparable. They helped each other with chores, cackled about boys, designed intricate dresses and dreamed of the days they would marry. Caroline liked to imagine; though she knew no man could ever love her. She had been told every day of her life. Rebekah had confessed that she had few friends because all the village girls had an ulterior motive - designs on her brothers. She had five brothers - four of age - and they were widely sought after.

Caroline came to view the Mikaelson boys as her own kin. Finn, she did not know as well as the rest. He was kind and quiet, always able to help where needed. She liked him, but he was so serious. Elijah was so very noble. He would entertain her ramblings and her musings with an affectionate smile or a gentle ruffle of her curls. Kol made it his life's mission to make her blush - be it a rude joke or an exaggerated compliment. He teased, but he treated her as well as he did Rebekah. Henrik was shy, barely able to look Caroline in the eye. She looked forward to the day she could find him love with Freya's arrow - for there was no one as sweet-natured as Henrik. He deserved all the goodness the world had to offer. And then there was Nik.

Nik.

The day she first met him is forever etched on her memory. It wasn't a particularly memorable greeting, but it was the way she felt. She would never forget it. One look in his deep blue eyes and her breath caught in her throat. She felt hot, she felt sick, she felt nervous. She didn't know what to do. She had never felt this way, like the world was tipped off its axis.

Each time they met, she found breathing was a little easier. She never was able to loose the nerves and hammering heart that plagued her when he was nearby. If she's truly honest with herself, she never lost them. Even across a thousand years.

One day, about a month after they had settled, Caroline had fallen in the nearby woods. Her skirts had caught in the brambles, and in trying to free herself, she managed to catch her ankle in a nearby root. With a loud _oof_, she was head first in a ditch.

"Caroline?"

_Please Gods, no. Don't be him. Please, no._

"What have we got here?" Nik teased, his eyes sparkling.

She blew a rebellious curl from her face and picked a leaf from her hair in a haughty, graceful manner. Well, as haughty and graceful as she could manage lying in a hole. "I was just resting" she lied.

Nik threw his head back, laughing, "If you say so, sweetheart. Perhaps we could try resting in the village?"

"Perhaps" Caroline sighed, nonchalant. In truth her ankle was throbbing, and she wasn't entirely certain she could walk that far.

Nik knelt down, wrapping his arm around her waist, "Never let it be said I left a damsel in distress" His other arm wrapped under her knees.

"This is not proper" Caroline stressed. It wasn't proper, but she oh so desperately wanted to wrap her arms round his neck. She wanted to be closer to him, to let his woodsy scent overwhelm her. She wanted to rest her forehead against his strong jaw, and feel the prickle of his stubble. He was not meant for her, yet she yearned for him.

"Since when did I obey the rules?" Nik grinned the roguish grin that made her heart flutter as he picked her up. Her arms flew around his neck, and she was so close she could see each intricate carving on his necklaces. She begged her heart to rest; she could feel it hammering in her ears.

"Don't drop me" Caroline advised, struggling to breathe. She could feel his warmth all around her. The odd sensation of his chest rumbling as he chuckled made her laugh along with him.

It was from that moment on that Caroline was intoxicated by Nik. There were moments - fleeting as they were - that she allowed herself to believe that he returned her affections. He would make her smile, he would chop her firewood, he would tell her she looked pretty. She could do no more than blush and gaze at him from beneath her lashes.

Trying to describe Nik was like trying to catch water in clasped hands. He was unpredictable, he was fluid, he was _so_ alive. He was constantly changing. He was magnetic. He could be searing with his glower and then dimpling a boyish smile in an instant. He represented everything Caroline wanted in life - courage, passion, artistry. Once glance from him and her heart was doing flip flops.

It was said the Amoriini could not gain love, yet no one said anything about her. Looking back, Caroline realized that Nik had taken her heart from the moment they met.

And he never gave it back.

If only she could of seen the future. But then again, it was never a choice.

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Caroline had been settled for six months, when her first message from Sjofn arrived. She had been absentmindedly stirring the broth, laughing at some joke Kol had told her, when the flames of the fire rose, snapping a deep pink. A piece of parchment fluttered towards her, landing neatly in her hand. It was cool to the touch.

_Good evening, my child. You know what you must do. Finn and Sage._

Two days later, Caroline finally met Sage. She and Rebekah were sorting through various herbs and organizing them into bundles. A red headed woman appeared, enquiring after Finn. Rebekah abruptly told her that he had not yet returned from the hunting expedition.

"Who is she?" Caroline asked, watching the retreating figure.

"Sage" Rebekah sighed disdainfully, "She pines after Finn"

Caroline bumped her shoulder playfully with a sprig of rosemary, "You don't approve?"

Rebekah paused, concentrating on tying a bundle of thyme, "She just isn't good enough"

Caroline could feel Sage's affection. Coupled with the arrow she was to fire tonight, she knew that Finn would have a happy marriage to Sage. "You are his sister. No woman will ever be good enough"

Rebekah mulled over her words, "You. You meet my standards. I hereby give you permission to marry one of my brothers"

Caroline laughed, "Thank you for your kind blessing, Rebekah my dear"

Amoriini's did not marry. They were not loved. They were simply put on this earth to help others.

Sjofn made one mistake when creating Caroline, however. She could love. She did love. She loved with her whole heart.

That night, Caroline had stumbled upon Finn and Sage having a secret rendezvous by the watering hole. One arrow later, and Finn and Sage were betrothed. It took Caroline a week to soothe Rebekah's anger at the developments.

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There was nothing more that two blondes enjoyed more than decoding the clouds in the sky, lying comfortably on the lush grass. They had already spotted a rabbit, a deer and Kol's face when he was angry. Caroline twirled a blade of grass between her fingertips. It was already close to a year that she had lived in the village, and she had so far paired four couples. All were married, bar Sage and Finn, because Mikael disapproved. Their time would come. Sjorn would see to it.

Rebekah had been excitedly chattering about the upcoming festival. It was to conclude in a dance, and she was excited at the prospect of being close to the blacksmith's son. Caroline was preoccupied with worry about the fact their would be dancing. And she most certainly had no skill in that area.

"I'll teach you" Rebekah offered, sitting up, "I've watched the dances from our home for years. I need you there. You have to be there"

Caroline pulled herself up and dusted her skirt off, "Okay, Bekah. Teach away"

Rebekah stood up, chewing her lip. She smiled when she spotted something in the distance, "Kol! Nik!"

Caroline smiled, shyly. Clearly Sjorn was pleased with her work. Although she could never be with Nik, the Gods seemed intent on thrusting them together. Soon Rebekah had paired herslef with Kol, and had also taken it upon herself to hum the tune to the dance. Caroline nervously stood opposite the object of her affection, "I don't know how to do this"

He smiled, and her heart lifted, "Just follow my lead"

The first few steps were easy enough, just stepping towards each other, and then backwards. Nik was gazing at Caroline, his eyes soft, and yet so hypnotizing. Then, all at once, his hands were on her waist, and she was lifted in the air. Her hands flew to his broad shoulders and their eyes locked. She couldn't hear anything, not even Rebekah's loud humming. She could barely notice anything, not the warmth of the sun, not the gentle breeze. She could only see him, concentrate on him.

She couldn't breathe.

His lips were so close, and they grew closer as he slowly lowered her to the ground. If she leant forward a fraction, she would kiss him. She forgot everything as she stared and stared. She was so close...

"Caro" Rebekah called, "You won't learn the dance if we have to stop every minute" The gleam in her eyes, coupled with Kol's suggestive eyebrow raise confirmed that her private thoughts weren't so private.

Nik growled in irritation, " Let's get on then, shall we Bekah?"

By the next morning, Caroline was in quite a state. The dance held so much promise, so much tension, and she was more than eager to repeat it. Nik had requested she save the dance for him. However, her nerves were causing something of an issue. Caroline and Rebekah were scrubbing their best dresses in the stream when they heard the latest village gossip - a new girl had arrived, Tatia. The sources said she was beautiful and desirable, though she had a child out of wedlock.

Caroline absentmindedly wondered who she would pair her with.

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A week later, and Caroline and Rebekah had spent the day preparing for the dance. Caroline had spent hours weaving delicate lilac flowers into the long braid that traced Rebekah's spine. The Amoriini had opted for two braids that met at the nape of her neck, allowing her golden curls to freely cascade down her back. Rebekah tucked a white flower behind her ear to complete the outfit, Caroline's long blue dress flowing like water past her slim hips.

Rebekah smoothed her own lilac bodice, "Have you seen Arthur, at all?"

Caroline snorted at Rebekah's failure at nonchalance, "No. But I'm sure he will be there"

Rebekah cast her eyes down, "Father doesn't approve"

Caroline paused. She knew of Mikael's temper, and Rebekah's fear. She smiled, "Of dancing? There is nothing wrong with an innocent dance"

"Dancing is not always innocent. I saw you with my brother"

Caroline blushed, "Beks..."

"I see the way you look at him. How he looks at you"

"Bekah. There is nothing there"

Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Very well. Just know that someday, I hope to call you sister"

Caroline looked to the ground guiltily. She hated that she couldn't tell Rebekah that it would never be. That her destiny was already determined.

The festival was lively, fun. It was the only treat the villagers allowed themselves. Caroline danced with Elijah, then Kol, once with Finn and then again with Elijah. She had yet to see the Mikaelson brother that plagued her thoughts.

Caroline edged closer to the fire pit. The hum of the melody trickled softly as she played the the tumbler of ale in her hands. The flames danced with each other, some brights, others pure white. Even they had partners. She turned back to the festivities. Rebekah was twirling in Arthur's arms, giggling happy. Caroline smiled. She could feel the warmth of her happiness. It was all she ever wanted for her best friend.

The tune changed, and Caroline recognized the first few beats. It was the dance that Nik had taught her. She searched for him in the mass of people, a coy smile playing on her lips.

She found him.

Tatia stood across from him, tossing her perfect chocolate curls over her shoulder. The stepped towards eachother, whispering hurriedly. A sultry smile crossed Tatia's face, her doe eyes glimmering in the moonlight. They stepped closer again and Nik leant in, their lips inches apart, breath mingling. Caroline tried hard to smile, but her face was frozen. He was dancing with her. She struggled to breathe as she witnessed the intimate moment between the pair, Tatia pulling away from him, but her body language was saying the opposite.

Caroline stared as she placed her arms on Nik's shoulders. She begged herself to look away as Tatia threw back her head, laughing at something he'd said. She coached herself to turn away as Nik's hands wrapped around Tatia's slender waist and he lifted her into the air. Tatia smiled coyly as her purple skirts billowed around her. Her long, brown curls gently flowed in the wind and her melodic laughed could be heard over the thrum of the dance. They stared at each other as if no one else on the planet existed, and as Tatia was gently placed on the ground, she stole a glance at Elijah.

He was stood at the opposite edge of the makeshift dance floor, eyes fixed firmly on the young couple. Except Caroline did not feel pain radiating from him. It was anger. Pure rage. Caroline turned back to the dance, trying to smile. She was put on this Earth to encourage affection, so logically she should rejoice at this sight. The muscles in her jaw ached and her eyes blurred.

Tatia was everything she'd hope to be. She radiated beauty and grace. And she was in Nik's arms. Caroline blinked furiously, trying to blink the tears away. She turned to the fire pit, staring at the warm tones, fighting their own struggle. She stared and stared, allowing the heat to cause her eyes to overflow, as silent tears cascaded down her cheeks.

It was as though the Gods were laughing at her. Silly little girl, hoping for something that was impossible.

"Caroline?"

Caroline jumped, turning to Kol as he continued, "May I have this dance?"

Knowing full well he had been dancing with Katriina, and that he must have abandoned her, Caroline smiled weakly. Say what you liked about that boy, he only ever wanted to look after her. She quickly wiped her damp cheeks, "Thank you Kol, but I'm feeling so tired. Too much mead, I'm sure"

Kol narrowed his soft eyes, "Are you sure?"

Caroline glanced over as Tatia was once again lifted in the air. She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice broke as fresh tears sprung to her eyes. She nodded furiously as she backed away, and ran to her home.

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Caroline thought that watching Nik and Tatia over the next few weeks was the hardest thing she would ever have to face. She was wrong.

The message arrived the usual way. The flames of the fire rose, turning a deep mauve. Caroline caught the cool parchment lazily, like all the times she had done before. She dropped it as quickly as she had caught it, emitting a quiet gasp. The fates had decided to make her torment greater. _Niklaus and Tatia._

A week passed, and Caroline watched with sad eyes as Tatia and Nik continued their courtship. They would take little walks together, he would carry her firewood, they would disappear for hours at a time, and the thought of it all made Caroline want to sob.

Elijah's jaw would tense, and he wouldn't speak to anyone. Not even Kol's jibes would get a rise out of him. But then Tatia would walk out with Elijah, and Klaus would chop at the log pile for hours. Elijah would bring Tatia wildflowers and Nik would curse under his breath.

Caroline knew her time was running out. Soon Sjofn would be demanding to know why they had not been paired. Or worse still, she would pair them before Caroline had a chance to say goodbye to the Nik she loved. She had made up her mind. She would do it, tonight.

And then the nightmare happened. The very worst thing that could have. That blood curdling scream will remain with Caroline forever. Henrik was tiny in Nik's arms, his pale body bloodied and battered. Life changed immeasurably after that moment. The next thousand years played out as they did, solely because of that one death.

Days passed, and Caroline saw nothing of the Mikaelson family. Tatia had disappeared, her child left to a villager who had no baby of her own, and Caroline didn't know what to do. How could she pair them following Tatia's disappearance? Sjofn communicated with her in the usual way. Except, the parchment did not hold names. It simply read _There is no need for the pairing, my child. Though I suspect you did not wish to follow my orders._

For a day, Caroline truly believed the Gods had smiled on her. They could see the depth of her affection, and realized Nik and Tatia were not meant to be. She understood her mistake the first time she saw Rebekah. She could feel it. She could feel she was different. No longer human.

Rebekah explained about her strength, her heightened sense and her constant need for blood. In return, Caroline shared her truth. Her whole truth.

Caroline thought that was the end of it, that they could all salvage some sort of life together, even if it was supernatural. And then Mikael ripped Esther's heart out.

She had watched from her doorway, hiding in the shadows, as Nik dug the grave. She couldn't understand. It was only a week ago that her heart was breaking as she prepared to pair him with Tatia, and now...

Henrik was dead. Tatia was dead. Esther was dead. The entire world had been ripped apart, and Caroline was left in the middle of it all, watching the dying embers of the life she had created burn out. Rebekah wouldn't speak to her. She couldn't. The fact that Caroline had lied for over a year had ruined everything.

Shortly after the three siblings abandoned the village, Sjofn relocated Caroline and Elizabeth. This was the pattern which Caroline followed for the next thousand years. Elizabeth grew old and passed on. Caroline was heart broken, but time healed her, marginally. Time was something she had at her disposal. She grew confident, happy with her task. She paired millions of hearts over the years. The six other Amoriini's failed in their destiny. Caroline was promoted to Demi-Goddess status, despite being created and not born.

Avoiding the Mikaelsons was impossible and impractical. Every single time they met, Caroline's heart broke a little more. Finn became bitter, an angry shell of the man he once was. It was not long before he was daggered, hidden from the world he despised so much. Elijah became more moral, if possible, and she could see the despair at what his family had become in his eyes. Kol stayed a reckless charmer, but he lived off death and destruction eventually losing the ability to care. Rebekah became starved of love, desperately clinging to what she could, eternally disappointed. And Nik...

Nik.

Nik transformed into something else entirely. He became a mix of the boy she had fallen in love with, and a man who could not contain the rage and the bloodlust. Over the years, he gradually became more of that man. The man she did not know. It reached a point when she ran from him; she was not ashamed to admit she hid. She couldn't bear to witness his internal destruction. After he daggered Rebekah in the 1920s, he became a recluse, driven mad by the desire to become a Hybrid. The very thought of it nearly tore her in two.

They were not Nik and Caro.

When she endured the torment of witnessing him seduce the Doppelgänger, Katherine, they were Klaus and Caroline.

Eventually, they became strangers.

Simply The Vampire and The Amoriini.


	2. Chapter 1 - I still feel the same

**"It's been a while, but I still feel the same"**

Caroline followed Sjofn's instructions to the letter, obeying her mistress at all times. Every couple she requested was paired, and her prodigy travelled to wherever was deemed necessary. When she was instructed to return to Mystic Falls, Caroline was surprised, but not worried. The ghosts of the past were long dead, the demons of the night hidden. Those thoughts were crushed when she spotted the beautiful young girl with luscious chocolate locks and doe eyes.

She had very nearly marched straight into her locker, she was so transfixed by the ghost. She quickly learned that Elena Gilbert was nothing like the Petrova Doppelgangers that had proceeded her, struck as she was by her similarity to both Tatia and Katherine. It had always been in the back of her mind, though she was loathed to admit it, that with the Doppelgangers presence, there was a guarantee that one day _he_ would come.

She prayed Sjofn would have moved her before his return.

Caroline arrived in the town as an orphan, her parents the victims of a tragic boating accident. She had become the lodger of the Sheriff - Liz Williams. She was an extremely distant relative of the woman whom Caroline had previously called mother - the familial link was tentative, at best, yet both women had the deep, honey eyes that made Caroline feel she was at home.

Caroline Forbes enjoyed the life she had created, becoming best friends with Elena and Bonnie, committing to every social activity she could and becoming captain of the cheerleading squad. However, the past had a way of catching up with her.

_Vampires._

The Salvatore brothers provided something of a challenge. As a Demi-Goddess, she was immune from compulsion, but Damon had selected her to be his spy. For months she had no choice but to let him control her to avoid suspicion. Her blood was supposed to taste odd, slightly tangy, to discourage this kind of behavior. After too many disastrous incidents, Sjofn had promised the change, though Damon carried on regardless. Caroline had always been under the protection of the Gods, so no real harm would ever come to her. When Elena gifted Caroline a vervain necklace, she nearly cried with gratitude.

Elijah arrived and Caroline's world began to crumble. It was a conformation of what she had been denying for too long - that he would come. She saw the man whom she looked up to as an older brother only once. It was fleeting, in passing, but their eyes locked with understanding. He looked at her with his usual dignified countenance whilst her mouth hung open in shock. The Original Family had pledged to keep her secret when they learned of it, and he never uttered a word. However, she now knew for definite that it was only a matter of time before he came back.

She felt it. She felt his eyes on her, burning her skin and searing her heart. She never looked for him, never welcoming the attention, but it did not lessen it. She knew he was at the Decade Dance. One day he was in The Grill. He saw her at cheer practice. He was there when she studied in the library.

Jenna was sacrificed and Stefan was ripped away. The eyes were no longer fixated on her. She never admitted it to herself, but she missed the glorious feeling of the burn on her skin.

Tyler sought her out not long after that. Mortals could not love her, Sjofn made it impossible. She could not risk the targets her Cupid matched falling for her instead. That was they way she lost the six other Amoriini's. Tyler's lust, however, radiated from him. She was flattered and she knew Tyler was a werewolf, though he had not undergone his first transformation. She hoped it was this supernatural element that allowed him to have feelings for her. The moment she felt Tyler's lust, she felt a flutter of butterflies. She had never felt the affections of a man, save for what she had assumed from Niklaus. However, she had quickly learnt that he couldn't love, he didn't love.

Moreover, it added more layers to the life she had crafted for herself. No one could ever suspect that the head cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, girlfriend of the football captain and overall high achiever was in fact a centuries old Nordic Demi-Goddess.

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"Caroline. We have a major problem. The shit has majorly hit the fan"

Rolling her eyes at the blatant overuse of the word "major" Caroline turned to face Aimee Bradley. The girl was hyperventilating, her brown curls slipping from her messy bun, her wide eyes indicating that another calamity had befallen the latest dance. Of course, all dances were an important event in any teenage girl's life, but if she had to deal with another freak out over balloon arches, Aimee was getting slapped by The Amoriini. No questions asked. This was the seventh time this week, and it was only Tuesday.

"What's the problem?" Caroline asked brightly, masking her irritation.

As Aimee launched into her tale of death and destruction, Caroline saw a sheet of blonde hair flash around the corner. Shaking the image from her head because it _couldn't_ be her, she had been daggered since the 1920s, Caroline attempted to return to the conversation.

Aimee stared at her expectantly, apparently having babbled for the past five minutes at the lack of coordinating colored balloons in Mystic Falls.

"You just leave it" Caroline sighed as she smoothed her plaid skirt, "I'll sort it"

Aimee's chocolate eyes lit up, happy with the result she had been angling for "Really? Are you sure? Well, of course you're sure. Okay, Caroline, thank you!"

"You know what they say" Caroline sing-songed, "If you want a job done right, do it yourself"

It was easy to slip into the role of the popular girl with a bitchy streak. Caroline was well versed; she had been attending high school since the fifties. Flashing Aimee one last smile, she headed off to English.

Elena leant on her desk, the dark circles under her eyes revealing how much she struggled with Stefan's disappearance. Caroline tapped her friends arm affectionately and made her way over to her seat. She was searching in her bag when the accented voice trickled over, as the teacher announced an arrival. She tensed, tearing the sheet of paper she had been searching for in two.

Caroline locked eyes with the blonde, as her chest tightened and her breathing stopped. Rebekah smiled sweetly, her eyes twinkling as she stared at her best friend. Caroline's eyes momentarily fell to Elena, who looked as though she had been shocked by an electric current. Rebekah practically skipped over to the spare desk next to Caroline, falling into the chair with a dramatic, yet graceful flourish. Elena looked as though someone had ripped the ground from underneath her, as her mouth fell open.

"Caro" Rebekah greeted under her breath.

"Bekah, what the hell are you doing here?" Caroline hissed.

"You must know Nik is in town?" Rebekah frowned.

Caroline's heart did an involuntary jump. Of course she knew; she always knew. It had only been a day, but she knew.

"Well, class" Miss Green began, "Seeing as Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I thought we could cover the origins of love in literature. Now don't groan, it won't just be soppy poetry. I'd thought we'd start with an easy one. Cupid"

Caroline could practically hear the wide grin form across Rebekah's flawless features. She gave her a warning nudge as she silently cursed the Gods. Clearly Loki was having a field day.

"Does anyone know any Cupid-like creatures or their origins?" Miss Green continued.

Rebekah completed disregarded the need to keep her vampire speed hidden as her her hand shot in the air, "The Amoriini?" Caroline's toes stung from the sharp kick she sent the Blonde's way, though Rebekah didn't even flinch. Infuriating.

"Indeed" Miss Green's eyes lit up, "A less well known creature from Norse Mythology. Legend says the Goddess of Love Sjofn created six females-"

"Seven" Caroline couldn't help but correct her under her breath.

"To do her bidding and bestow love on those deemed worthy. However, only one stayed true to her purpose and the other five succumbed to mortal love. The one who stayed true became The Amoriini. I believe there is a picture on the handout I gave you"

Rebekah wrinkled her nose, "Really Caro? You let people believe you look like this? You don't have wings, and you're not brunette. Or that fat"

"Legend says The Amoriini is beautiful" Miss Green continued, "Intelligent, kind and chaste. She is to unite and destroy. There are differing accounts of her - it is claimed she fell in love with with a monster who could not love her in return. Others say she cannot love, that it was made impossible. Either way, she is destined to walk the Earth alone "

Caroline stared ahead resolutely, though she could feel Rebekah's gaze on her. They both knew the reality of the two options Miss Green had explained. It didn't make the last part any different, though.

As soon as the class was finished, Caroline grabbed Rebekah's hand and dragged her as far away from Elena as possible. Caroline glanced back to see the brunette's panicked face, clearly assuming Caroline was about to be made into the Original's lunch. Caroline heaved Rebekah to stand in front of her, the busy corridor hopefully providing some cover from prying ears.

"You can't tell anyone about me!" Caroline burst.

Rebekah raised her eyebrows, her voice mildly amused "No one knows? You do know this town is infested with vampires, right?"

"I know about _them_" Caroline scoffed, "I am over a thousand years old. But they just think I'm some human. Insignificant"

"And you don't mind that?" Rebekah frowned, clearly the idea of no attention a fate worse than a dagger to the heart.

Caroline shrugged, "Not really. And it doesn't allow for too many questions"

"I don't know how you could cope. Especially with your history lesson back there"

"Thanks for that" Caroline smiled sarcastically.

"That picture was awful. And seriously Caro" Rebekah shook her head condescendingly, "A thousand years and you've not been laid? What? How? Why?"

"Unlike some people, I don't have to sleep with every guy I make eye contact with" Caroline snapped.

"Ouch" Rebekah rolled her eyes, "And I'm sure my brother would be more than willing to scratch that particular itch"

"One. I am not discussing my sex life with you-"

"Non-existent sex life" Rebekah interjected.

"Two, your brother is not to be mentioned. And three, I have to keep my identity a secret. You won't tell anyone, will you?" Caroline's voice was pleading.

"Caroline!" Elena hurried over to the girls, eyeing Rebekah warily, "Are you okay?"

"_The Gods_" Caroline whispered quietly, hoping to appeal to the fearful Viking her friend had once been. Sometimes, it was the only method Caroline had to control the Mikaelsons. She plastered on a false smile, "Elena! Oh my gosh, have you met Rebekah? She just moved here. Rebekah, this is Elena Gilbert. My _best friend_"

Rebekah smiled a silky smile, "Pleasure"

"Um, yeah. You too" Elena turned to Caroline, "So Care, are you going to help me with that thing. That you promised. To help me with? Away from here"

Bless Elena. Always trying to be the best friend she could, even if her secret ploy practically screamed 'Run for the hills!'. She couldn't leave Rebekah without a promise that the Amoriini-bomb wouldn't be dropped.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Caroline said cheerily, "I'm stuck on new girl duty, so I'm showing Rebekah the highlights. Then I have cheer practice, so don't wait for me, okay?"

"You'll phone me once you're done?" Elena's eyes flickered warily to the Rebekah. She finished her thoughts an octave higher, clearly hoping to ensure Caroline's safety, "And you're the Sheriff's lodger, so you'll be good to get home safely"

Caroline nodded, and Elena slowly left, giving Rebekah a hard stare. She hurried down the corridor, clearly ready to find reinforcements.

Rebekah turned, "Seriously? Vacuous cheerleader? Could you be anymore cliche?"

"It's a classic" Caroline scoffed, "I've worked really hard to get that history"

"You're super secret identity is safe with me, Batman"

Caroline smiled.

"The rest of the Mikaelson clan? I'm not so sure" Rebekah pushed off the locker she was leaning on and headed down the corridor.

"The rest?" Caroline sighed, hurrying after the Vampire, "I thought it was just Klaus"

"It's only a matter of time before he wakes everyone"

"I'm sure. It's only been what, 100 years?" Caroline murmured sarcastically.

"Don't drag up the past. Why are you friends with the Doppelganger, of all people?"

"Elena is a lovely person, actually"

"Do you not recall Tatia?"

Caroline stilled for a moment, surprised Rebekah would say such a thing. Of course she remembered Tatia - she remembered every glance shared with _him_, every dance with _him_, every touch with _him_. Not even a thousand years had dulled the pain that he never chose her, that she would never be his first choice. It was a sore on her heart, never fully healed, ripped at by Katerina, stinging every time she witnessed love that she could never have. She adored Elena, but seeing yet another Doppelgänger being fought over was more difficult than she expected, "Of course I remember her, but they aren't the same. At all. And what did you say about dragging up the past?"

"Alright. I just thought you were a bit more particular about who you befriended"

"God, Beks, don't be so possessive"

"Excuse me?"

"I can be friends with both of you"

"I am not possessive!" Rebekah swatted her.

Caroline dodged the blow, "I've known you for a thousand years. I remember how you treated Sage"

"I'm protecting Finn. She doesn't deserve him"

"She loves him"

"Oh, are your Amoriini senses tingling?" Rebekah mocked.

"Something like that"

"I knew it!" Rebekah exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air at the victory, "I knew it had something to do with you and your bloody arrows"

"I gave them a nudge!" Caroline conceded, nudging the vampire to prove her point, "But they were in love first. The arrows don't work on vampires, so it should of worn off when he turned, but it didn't. Because it was true love"

"How do you know the arrows don't work on vampires? Did you shoot us?" Rebekah's eyes had narrowed at this new information.

"Yes, Bekah. I simply can't resist you" Caroline deadpanned.

"You're not funny, Caro"

"Don't be bitter. Sjorn knows how her brew works. She makes it, after all"

"Why does she want you in Mystic Falls?"

"I don't know. I don't ask those sorts of questions"

"Well, you should" Rebekah eyed the bright pink poster for volleyball tryouts, "Screw this Caro, let's go for a drink"

"I have cheerleading practice"

"Ditch it"

"No!"

"Fine. I'll join"

"Nah-uh" Caroline waggled a warning finger, "I'm keeping a low profile. I can't have you screwing it up"

"Join me for a drink then!" Rebekah's eyes glimmered, "Do it, or I'll just need to get a drink here. I think you know what I mean"

"Don't start that Beksy. I'm not scared of you"

"You should be. Unless you got some decent super powers since I was last daggered"

"No" Caroline sighed, knowing full well she would have to go for the drink.

"Then come for a drink. One drink" Rebekah bargained, her perfect eyebrows raised.

"Fine. But if you screw this up for me, I swear to the Gods I'll-"

"You'll what? Jab me in the ass with your arrow?"

"You'll wish that's all I did" Caroline promised darkly.

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He was there. Of course he was there. She knew it the moment she walked in, she could sense he was there. She recognized his familiar scent, floating towards her over the stale smell of grease and beer. That masculine, woodsy scent had haunted her over the centuries, she could never forget it.

And there he was.

His sandy waves were just the right side of unruly, his eyes still the most magnetic blue. The top buttons of the light henley that clung to his muscles lay open, revealing his collection of necklaces. Her heart constricted; he was wearing it. It had been a gift, from so many centuries ago. It was supposed to be ironic, yet there the beads lay, intertwined with all the other mementos of his many years.

His feet were propped up on the table as he tilted his glass, languidly watching the contents swirl. With a small smile, he raised his eyes and her heart fell to her feet. "Bekah" Caroline turned on her friend angrily.

"I didn't know he'd be here. I honestly didn't" Rebekah quickly replied, glaring at Klaus. Caroline shrugged, turning to leave.

"Caroline"

She turned back towards him, trying desperately to still her beating heart. He should't make her feel this way. Not after all this time. She wouldn't let him. She would tell herself to not care. He meant nothing.

And yet he meant everything.

He opened his mouth to continue, but he was cut off as she angrily strode to the table. "Don't. I'm here to do a job, that's it" Caroline's tone was firm, though were knees were weak.

"I'm not stopping you"

"Caro?" Rebekah questioned, gently tapping her friend's elbow, "We'll get that drink later?"

Caroline nodded absent-mindedly as Rebekah retreated to the bar, rounding fully on Klaus, "Well, you can't be running your mouth off. I don't want anything to do with the supernatural" she whispered, eyeing the surrounding people nervously.

"You're doing a sterling job. What with being best friends with the Doppelganger and the Bennett witch" Klaus muttered sarcastically, sipping on his whiskey.

"There's actually not a lot of choice in Mystic Falls" Caroline snipped lamely, folding her arms in annoyance.

"Clearly"

Caroline shook her head. He hadn't changed, he never would. She turned to leave again, but he caught her arm, gripping just above her elbow. She looked down to where they were joined, pointedly, "Let go of my arm"

"Why?" he questioned with a dimpled grin. She tried a sharp jerk to remove his hand, but he barely registered the movement. Cursing vampires and their strength, she scowled at him.

He rolled his eyes at her feeble attempt, "I'm the Original Hybrid. Show a little respect."

"And I'm a Demi-Goddess" she hissed in a whisper, "So how about you show some respect?"

"Or what?"

Remembering Aimee's go-to phrase in a moment of desperation, Caroline huffed, "Or the shit will hit the fan"

"Shit will hit the fan" Klaus repeated slowly, his wide grin warming her in spite of her annoyance, "Your a thousand years old Caroline. We must _widen_ your horizons, if that's the language you stoop to"

Ignoring the innuendo he had attached to the simple word of 'widen', Caroline rolled her eyes, "I'm seventeen, that is the extent of my language" He tilted his head, an inquisitive look in his eye, "I'm just really well practiced" She added as a clarification.

"Touché"

"Let go of my arm" She wriggled her arm to remind him.

"Have a drink with me" He countered, a confident smirk in place.

"I'm not doing this with you"

"What?"

"_This_"

"People are staring, Caroline. Please sit down" he had amended his tone, so it was gentler but it still held his signature cockiness.

Caroline bit her lip. She had known from experience the best way to deal with Klaus was to humor him. The sooner he spoke to her and got bored, the sooner he would go. That was the pattern their eternal lifetimes had always followed. She perched on the chair, giving him a haughty stare, "Good to see you've learnt some manners over the past hundred years"

"And you've learnt some interesting talents. Head cheerleader? You must have a stunning little uniform" His eyes glimmered as he spoke.

"I'm not going to flirt with you" Caroline immediately replied, her glare hard.

"If I was flirting, sweetheart, you'd know all about"

His blue eyes burned, but she only saw red. The girl who was never loved could not resist, "Besides it would be inappropriate. I have a boyfriend"

"I heard" Klaus' jaw tensed.

She was an eternal teenager. She simply couldn't take the moral route as she tossed her curls over her shoulder, throwing him a winning smile, "Jealous?"

"Yes"

The game was suddenly too real, because it had stopped being an attempt to one-up each other. He was being far more honest in these few minutes than he had been. Ever. She only had herself to blame, but he was looking at her the way she needed and craved. The way her unloved heart yearned for. She felt herself panic, afraid of how quickly she was falling again. She _always_ fell for him, "Don't"

"You started it" Klaus replied evenly, his gaze never faltering.

"Caroline?" Bonnie had appeared from nowhere, startling Caroline who had fallen into staring at him. The witch quickly grabbed her friend's hand in a protective, possessive manner.

Caroline cleared her throat, allowing the sadness that had washed over her to disappear, and putting on her bright smile and cheerful, bouncy tone, "Hey, Bonnie!"

"C'mon, we've got to go" Bonnie, muttered, pulling her up from the table and shielding her with her body, her eyes firmly trained on Klaus.

"She's having a drink with me, love" Klaus tilted his glass, the amber liquid sloshing to the sides.

Caroline smiled brightly, "Yeah, Bonnie. I'm having a drink with Klaus. Have you two met?"

The glass shattered, the aged whiskey spilling over the table, the floor and Caroline's skirt. Klaus was gripping the table, his knuckles white as the furniture began to splinter and crack. His eyes were screwed shut and a vein in his temple throbbed. Caroline dropped to her knees in front of him, running her hands through his hair, "Klaus? Klaus!"

"C'mon Caroline" Bonnie stared evenly, never breaking eye contact.

"Bonnie, he's hurt" Caroline objected, knowing full well that it was Bonnie herself that was the problem.

"Caroline. Come on." Bonnie bit out.

"No" Caroline hissed, turning his head so he would look her in the eye. He caught her forearm, running his thumb over the pale skin where her palm and wrist met. It was his way of telling her it was okay. He hadn't used that little gesture in over one hundred years. Truth be told, that was the last time he had been close enough to her to even attempt it.

"What did you do to my brother?" Rebekah hissed as she appeared from the bar, attempting to block Bonnie's eye line.

"Nothing" Caroline pulled away from Klaus, returning to Bonnie's side, and reverting back to her oblivious cover, "He just fell forward in pain"

"Well, I can take care of him" Rebekah grinned, "It's family business, wench"

"C'mon" Caroline pulled Bonnie away, who still had the hard stare marring her features. Caroline turned back to look at the pair. Klaus was leaning back in his chair, breathing deeply, whilst Rebekah patted his shoulder consolingly. "_Wench_?" Caroline mouthed with a smile, and Rebekah shrugged and stuck her tongue out.

She most certainly hadn't changed. Neither had he.

And Caroline felt the same as ever.

_Stupid little cupid._

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Hi!

This is very much a work in progress, so any comments/criticisms/queries/advice are more than welcome. In fact, they are actively encouraged!

Thank you to the 15 lovely reviewers, and the favouriters and alerters. I'm sorry it took so long for an update!

Until next time,

LoveYouBye!x


	3. Chapter 2 - Teardrops On My Shirt

**Warning - I made myself cry.**

"And what did I do to warrant a personal greeting?" Caroline sing-songed with false nonchalance as she closed her bedroom door, eyeing the Goddess on her bed. Sjofn's green eyes glimmered as Caroline dropped next to her.

She paused to allow Caroline a moment to consider whether trying to play down the situation was really the best option, "You know what"

"I didn't do anything!" Caroline protested, hugging a pillow for support, "I was an innocent victim! Surely you could have pulled some God-crap and stopped me from meeting him. And nothing happened"

Sjofn rolled her eyes, "I'm a _Love_ Goddess Caroline. I know what happened"

"But nothing happened happened" Caroline rationalsied, suddenly finding the fabric of her skirt incredibly interesting. Sjofn knew her, knew her so well, and yet she tried hard to deceive her. When it came to Klaus, anything was preferable to acknowledging... anything, "Is it really a happening if nothing actually, y'know... happens? Wow, that word loses all meaning when you say it enough, doesn't it? Happen, hap-"

"Caroline" Sjofn interupted, her voice calm with just a hint of irritation, "You can't distract me from the fact that Klaus is here"

Without missing a beat, Caroline voiced the opinion that had been circulating in her thoughts since she had left the Grill, "Then relocate me"

Sjofn narrowed her eyes, irration growing,"You have not finished your task here"

"Then give me someone to pair and move me" Caroline pleaded quietly.

"The two players are not in position"

"Seriously?" Caroline scoffed, "Just use your mojo"

"It's not that simple"

"Is it ever simple with you?" Caroline muttered lowly. Not lowly enough.

"Don't be rude. I am not your friend, and I will not be dictated to by my servant, or by a Vampire" Sjofn replied slowly, standing up from her bed with an unnatural amount of grace.

"Sorry"

"I want you to be careful, my child" Sjofn cooed, returning to the the role benevolent master instead of firece God, "You must keep to your task"

"I won't let him distract me" Caroline vowed forcefully, although she didn't know who she was actually trying to convince.

"It wouldn't be the first time" Sjofn reminded, and there was more than a hint of malice in her tone.

Caroline looked down, remembering that day painfully well, "That was different"

"Did you complete the pairing, or did I have to intervene?" Sjofn wondered aloud with mock consideration, her hands on her hips.

"Well, he practically ripped my heart from my chest, so I got punished, okay?" Caroline snapped, remembering the ache that Klaus was responsible for. That_ only_ Klaus could cause, "I know. Stick to the task"

"Good" Sjofn smiled, tossing her long chocolate locks over her shoulder, "I'll communicate with you when the time is ready"

"Super" Caroline smiled sarcastically.

Within a blink of an eye, Sjofn was gone. Caroline sighed, for she knew what would happen tonight. That fateful day, the only time Caroline had failed to complete a match, would be in her dreams. Except, Sjofn made her feel as though she was relieving each individual moment, she could feel_ every_ touch, experience _every_ emotion.

She drifted into an uneasy sleep that night, knowing full well she was to experience one of her darkest days...

**Edinburgh - March,**** 1565**

Caroline had been installed as one of Queen Mary's ladies-in-waiting for four months when they were reunited. With the way the land was unsettled with religion, politics and conflicting monarchies, Sjofn thought it wise to have Caroline's influence to tip the scales.

Whilst she lived at Holyrood Palace, Caroline had paired three couples, all members of the Queen's retinue. There was widespread condemnation of the torrid love affair which had errupted between the Head of State and Lord Darnley, and so she could only assume she'd be in Edinburgh for the forseeable future.

The bustle of the market was overwhelming, the sounds and smells overpowering. Caroline loved it. To be lost in a vast sea of people, to be a nameless individual with seemingly no purpose, no destiny. It was a release.

In between the mass of bodies, she saw him.

His appearance hadn't altered at all from the last time she'd seen him. A small smile danced along his perfect lips. His clothing was deep, blood red, and on his chest was pinned the symbol of the French Court. She rolled her eyes at one of his favourite games, infiltrating the monarchy as the gentry, usually from a country that they should detect. Even though Mary's first husband was the King of France, she was not suspicious of the enigmatic stranger. Caroline turned to venture further down the street, and in an instant he was by her side.

"I had never expected to meet you here" Klaus remarked conversationally, falling into step with her.

Caroline watched him carefully, her stomach flip flopping despite her head screaming at him internally. She didn't want him. She _didn't_ want him. _She did not want him_, "Nor I. Or I would never have came"

A teasing smile danced across his features as he watched her inspect the trinkets on a nearby stall, "Be careful Caroline, such words could wound"

She let out a loud, exsasperated sigh. It had been far too long for such playfulness. She snapped her attention back to him, with raised eyebrows, "Precisely"

"You are not happy to see me" Klaus assessed, his words dripping with mock concern.

"Your powers of deduction have not lessened" Caroline replied frostily, continuing her path to nowhere, hoping we wouldn't follow. And a dark, twisted part of her hoped he would.

"And what have I done to warrant such a cold greeting?"

"There are too many offenses to list"

"You are angry about Rebekah" Klaus acknowledged.

"So she is in her coffin?" Caroline tilted her head, a look of disappointment crossing her features. Her friend was so often dancing with the dagger, she had no hope of knowing when she would see her next, "I guessed as much"

"I had not realized Sjofn had sent you here' Klaus smoothly changed the subject, "I must say, the Queen does require some assistance in selecting a husband"

Caroline raised her eyebrows, "Careful, that sounds rather blasphemous"

"And so who is the lucky man?"

Caroline halted at a stall covered in trinkets. She ran her fingers along each object carefully, opting to make light of the situation. Deep conversation led to deep emotions, "I have received no instruction as regards to the Queen. You shall not be King"

"I am most grieved on both points" Klaus replied solemnly, his eyes sparkling.

"She does have a tendency to select the darkest souls" Caroline mused thoughtfully, forgetting her earlier pledge.

"Is that really a fault?"

"Absolutely" Caroline replied forcefully, meaning every word. And yet, she understood the draw, the allure. Darkness was not named that for nothing - it was encroaching, pervasive, seeping into every last corner. She kept her eyes low as she picked picked a string of dark rosary beads, a small wooden cross at the end of them. She turned back to his gaze, offering the necklace with a sweet smile, "Perhaps you should pray for her"

"Do you really beleive the myths?" Klaus smirked, "The cross does me no harm"

"I hoped it would burn" Caroline muttered as she paid the street vendor a coin.

"It does not, but I shall wear them for eternity, in the hope that you can get some satisfaction" Klaus smouldered as his fingers danced long her palm, longer than needed, to take the gift.

Coaching her heart to still, she rolled her eyes and continued to walk away from him. He continued to follow. Klaus slipped the rosary over his head as Caroline watched him with narrowed eyes, "I'm sorry, you seem to be under the impression that you're empty promises mean anything to me"

"And your tone indicates that my promises mean something to you, sweetheart" Klaus countered with a playful smile.

Caroline cleared her throat, staring ahead. She wouldn't fall into the trap that Klaus always had for her. She just wouldn't, "Do not pretend to be interested in me, Klaus"

"There is no pretence"

"And yet there is no interest" Caroline dismissed quickly.

"I respectfully disagree" Klaus countered, standing in her path and forcing her to come to a stop.

"And I must respectfully take my leave. Good day, Sir" Caroline lowered herself into a curtsey, her hard eyes trained on him.

"Are you really going to leave me, even though we may never speak again, my sweet?"

"Never is too soon" Caroline replied forcefully, gathering her skirts and turning back to the castle. She'd had enough, enough of it all. She would not let him torture her this way.

Klaus used his speed to stand in front of her once again. He was close, far too close, and growled softly, "You're senses have clearly left you if you think you can speak to me that way"

"Are you threatening me, Niklaus?" Caroline lifted her chin defiantly, calmly feeling no fear.

"Advising you, my dear" Klaus smirked, stepping back.

"I do not seek, nor need your council" Caroline replied coldly, both of them locked in a staring match that both were doomed to lose.

"And yet" Klaus whispered lowly, "You should take heed"

"I thank you kindly, and now you must excuse me" Caroline tried once again to leave, pushing past him with more force than was strictly necessary, wanting him to feel it, to understand it, without showing it. Showing him the utter devastation that his coldness showered her with.

"Whatever happened to that kind girl I once knew?" Klaus mused gently.

Caroline stopped, her back to him, her head drooping, "Perhaps circumstances changed her"

"You're demenour suggests I had a role in this"

She begged herself to walk away, as she turned to face him, anger flashing in her eyes "You cannot be so selfish as to not realise what has happened between us"

"What has happened?" Klaus coaxed gently, needing her to speak the words.

"You have destroyed everything. Everyone" she spat, willing her words to stick, to cause a reaction of some sort. _Anything_ to signify that he actually listened, or he actually cared.

"Pray, tell me how I did such a thing?"

Caroline shook her head. His tone was too playful, too uncaring, "I will not play this game"

"The Doppelgänger?" Klaus licked his lips in that oh so sinfully delicious way of his, "Did you feel slighted by Katerina Petrova, and my interest in her?"

Caroline paused. Yes, yes she did. When she saw the pair of them, she wanted nothing more to turn the pain that clawed at her off, to never speak to him again, never feel anything again. She did not care if she would never feel happiness or joy again, as long as she wouldn't know this sorrow. She couldn't even let her mind think of them, wrapped in the embrace she'd seen him locked in hundreds of years earlier with Tatia, "I have no desire to die on an alter of flame"

"That is what this interest will lead to" Klaus promised darkly.

"Then allow me to leave" Caroline begged slowly, praying he would. It was _wrong_, it was _awful_, she hated it, but he held all the cards in this sick little game. And he knew it.

"Very well. Until we meet again, my sweet angel" Klaus reached for her hand, slowly interlacing their fingers. Caroline's breath hitched, her anger radiating off her as his lips gently pressed against her skin.

She pulled her hand away quickly, turning to the castle, determined to leave, regardless of what he said or promised. He didn't utter a word as he watched her go.

Caroline kept to her chambers for the next week, determined to avoid all contact with him. Sooner or later he would grow bored, or Mikael would catch up to him. Either way she wouldn't have to endure any more of the special, wicked, wonderful torment Klaus reserved only for her.

The Queen held a Great Banquet, which Caroline had no choice to attend. The dignitaries, of course, were in attendance, but Caroline refused to meet the eye the Vampire. Of course, her fellow ladies were less eager to avoid him, gossiping excitedly about the handsome stranger. The delicious grin he kept sending their way indicated he heard every word.

One of the Gods was clearly working to assist Caroline as she noticed the Earl of Moray slip from the feast with the Earl of Glencairn's daughter. She followed soon thereafter, ready to complete the match Sjofn had communicated days ago.

The pair were in the rose garden, apparently unsure as to why they were there. Oh yes, the Gods were definitely watching. The moment Caroline raised her bow, she heard a gasp.

One of the serving boys - she was unsure of his name, perhaps Padraig - gasped, his eyes wide. Caroline dropped her bow immediately, rushing to him in a desperate bid to quiet him. He stared at her, repulsed, his mouth open, ready to call for help, the guards, the entire castle to know everything.

She closed her eyes, preparing for the fall. And then, nothing...

Just a sickening crack.

The boy was on the ground, his neck at an angle. Klaus stood before her, his eyes blazing. The next few hours were a blur as Klaus compelled the guard to forget the sight of the nobleman and the body. She simply sat, numb, watching him dig the grave of a boy of had done nothing wrong but be in the wrong place. She felt sick, physically sick, as Klaus placed the shovel in the earth.

"He's dead. Because of me" Caroline whispered, her wide eyes overflowing with hot, fast tears.

"Hey" Klaus, crooned, his fingertips ghosting along her upper arms in a gentle, soothing pattern, "Caroline, I killed him. He died at my hands"

He was dead, directly as a result of his intention to reveal her true nature. Nothing would help her, _could_ help, with the guilt that was pulling at her, "Because of me"

"No" Klaus replied forcefully, tilting her face to stare at him directly. His palms slid up and down her damp cheeks, "I killed him because that's what I am. It's what I do. I'm a vampire, love"

"You killed him because he was going to expose me" Caroline argued weakly, as more tears flowed.

"I killed him because I'm a murderer" Klaus ground out slowly.

"You didn't drink his blood" Caroline countered, her heart warming in spite of herself. The thought that Klaus was trying to remove any blame from her, that he cared enough to try. It was as though that flicker hope had lifted her entire body.

Klaus pulled his hands from her, putting some distance between them. She immediately felt an overwhelming desire to follow him, wherever he would lead her. His voice was cold, emotionless, "Why else would I kill him? You think it has something to do with you? Caroline, I'm a murderer. Do not be under any illusion that this was for you. I killed him because I wanted to"

_No. You can't mean that._ She awful, she felt so wretched for thinking it, but Klaus came to protect her. This meaningless death perhaps meant something. In his darkest way, the buried body was a symbol of caring,"I don't believe you"

Klaus took yet another step away from her. His eyes hardened, "Believe what you wish. Just do not pretend that I hold a regard for you, or it that led to this. I do not care for you. I have no heart"

She felt like he had her heart, and was slowly crushing it in his palm. The silly little girl, the hopeless fool, the _complete_ idiot couldn't let it go. She opened her mouth to argue, and the coldest, most malicious smile spread across those perfect lips, "And even if I did, do you honestly think I would ever be caught by _you_?"

It burned. Oh, how it _burned_. It felt as though her lungs were on fire, her heart was rotting, her throat was tightening, her eyes were stinging. A sob barely escaped her as she turned, stumbling in the darkness as she hurried to escape his bruising smile. She fled further into the night, wanting it to her consume her whole and never let her go. He made a move as if to stop her, regret marring his face, but paused and watched.

He watched her run from him.

She fled Court that night, causing quite the scandal. With Padraig and the young lady missing, it was widely assumed the couple had embarked on a whirlwind romance, taking their leave of Court to begin a new life together.

Oh, if only they knew.

If only knew that Padraig was lost forever, his last sight Cupid, and yet there was no arrow for him. Just a shallow grave.

If only they knew that the young lady fled Scotalnd, and headed for the continent.

If only they knew she cried herself to sleep every night.

If only they knew she dreamed this nightmare every night, for the next hundred years, as punishment.

If only.

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"Tyler" Caroline pulled away from the urgent kiss, "C'mon, not here"

Tyler slid his hands round her waist, pressing himself closer to her. The rough bark of the tree scraped along her spine as he pressed heated, open mouthed kisses along the column of her throat, "Care, it's just you and me. Please?"

"In the middle of the woods?" Caroline scoffed as he fumbled with the zipper of her jeans, "No"

Tylers continued to try to undress her, his kisses becoming more bruising. She looked to the starless sky as she feebly pushed against his shoulders. Why did Sjofn not give her strength to match a werewolf? A loud crack shattered the silence, and Tyler fell limp against her.

Struggling to lower him gently on the bracken, Caroline examined the small wound at the back of his head. She shook her head at thick branch that had fallen from the tree. She could practically hear Loki cackling as she shouted a disgruntled, "Seriously?" into the air. Was that really the only protection the God's offered?

Within five minutes and one urgent text, the sweet Matt had appeared, heaving Tyler over his shoulder, insisting Caroline return to the party. She made her way slowly through the trees, really not feeling like going to yet another high school party. Appearances had to be kept, however, and why wouldn't she want to celebrate the start of the high school year? Well, the reason was standing at the refreshments.

"You know Caro, one would think you're avoiding me" Rebekah remarked casually, filling her cup to the brim with beer.

"Don't be silly" Caroline smiled brightly, reaching for a beer, because she sure as hell needed it. Having Tyler as a boyfriend was a wonderful, exhilerating experience. An experience Caroline thought she'd never have, because no human could feel lust for her. And he did. He had all the pent up lust a teenage boy could have, which was more than problematic for a virtuous Demi-Goddess, "I'm avoiding your brother"

"He's out of town" Rebekah frowned, "Surely you heard?"

"From Team Vampire?" Caroline tutted, "I'm a dumb human remember? I know nothing"

"So you don't know why Damon is trying to hump my leg at every turn?" Rebekah murmured, eyeing the eldest Salvatore suspiciously. Damon had that look in his eye. His I'm-a-brooding-bad-boy look he'd used to ensare Caroline.

"He's Damon?" Caroline volunteered, "He's practically a quagmire of lust and debauchery"

"Careful Caroline" Rebekah teased, "Your age is beginning to show"

Caroline rolled her eyes, "So why are you still in town?"

Rebekah sighed the sigh Caroline had heard a million times before. She had clearly been overruled by her brother, "Nik and Elijah went to Chicago-"

"What?" Caroline burst, her heart lifting, "Elijah?"

"Nik undaggered him" Rebekah smiled like the cat who got the cream, "Do you wish to retract your statement from earlier?"

"How's Finn?" Caroline immediately shot back.

Ignoring her, Rebekah continued, "They've gone to Chicago to get the rest of our family"

"The Mikaelson's are waking up?" Caroline asked slowly, "Seriously? All of you?"

"Yep" Rebekah smiled.

"I'll believe it when I see it" Caroline muttered, resenting the continual losses of her quasi-family.

"Nik loves us, y'know"

"I don't doubt that" Caroline wrapped an arm round Rebekah apologetically. It wasn't fair to take her frustration out on her best friend, "I'm sorry for being so judgemental, Beks"

"He just...he shows it in different ways" Rebekah smiled a sad smile, "He's like that with everyone he loves. _But he does love them_"

"Subtlety has never been a stong point, has it?" Caroline joked weakly. He only ever loved his family. Caroline had learnt to accept it. Or, so she told herself.

"Well, just, think about it?" Rebekah encouraged, "Uh, Damon is coming over. I'm going have to do something about him"

"Beks" Caroline warned lowly, heading off in the other direction to avoid any awkward questions.

"Oh, and Caro" Rebekah called so only she could hear, "If Tyler ever pulls that shit again, I'll tear out his intestines"

Caroline opened her mouth to reply, but then Rebekah grinned a wicked smile, "That, or I'll tell Nik"

And with that she turned to Damon, a dark glint in her eye, clearly planning to keep him from any further attention. Caroline suspected she had something very ominous planned for his intestines.

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Please don't hate me! Yeah, just please don't. I am very sorry! I know angst isn't what we need right now, but, yeah.

I adore writing this fic, but it is does take me a while, so I can only apologise about the updates.

FYI, I picture the Katherine's witch from the masquerade as Sjofn when I'm writing this - she was just so sassy!

Thankyou, and any feedback/questions are welcomed :) And some of the history is true, but I made up a lot of it...

Until next time,

LoveYouBye!

**Answers to questions I couldn't PM:**

justine: Firstly, hi! Thank you so much for reading both my stories, and leaving me such lovely reviews. In my mind, there's a sort of power food chain: Gods are at the top, then the supernatural creatures, and then the humans. So, witches are servants of nature, and God's control nature, so they can decide what Bonnie feels, and they don't want her to know about Caroline. That's how it is in my head!

el: Hi! I will make it clear later, but I'll give you a little spoiler - Klaus was never in love with Tatia. Why is he jealous of Tyler? All will be revealed ;)


	4. Author's Note

Firstly, hi!

Second of all, I am sorry...

Like, really, really sorry. Please don't hate me, but I am putting _Give Me Love, Like Her_ on hiatus. I love writing this story, I honestly do. And I have it mapped out, with a portion of chapter 3 written. It's just a case of when it will be written.

I want to make it clear, **I will finish this story.** I absolutely will. I spend a lot of time editing and working on this one (of course, I do this with everything I write) but GMLLH is quite special to me. Caroline, although supernatural, is supposed to be as human and insecure about love as I can possibly make her. Which means I tap a lot into my own teenage experiences and emotions, which makes it challenging, but also quite a hard one to write.

It's already been two months, and rather than just leave anyone who's bothered to read this story hanging, I thought I'd warn you I have absolutely no idea when the next update will be. It could be in a month, or in three, but **it will** be updated and completed, that much I guarantee.

I'm sorry about the gap, but I will continue to write and publish Klaroline - always and forever ;)

Thanks for sticking with me,

LoveYouBye!x


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